Updating your sway bar, is it needed if you have HD tow package?

[Fasttimes]

If you have factory HD tow-package is an upgraded sway-bar any better? Looking at the Hellwig option:


Rear Sway Bar Ford 07-18 Expedition/Navigator 2WD/4WD
Part Number: 7688

Does anyone know if it's any batter than whats on my 2010 EB w/ HD package?

 

[Psychobot90]

Are you seeking responses from people who have installed these and have personal experience with the specific product?

My guess is that this part is indeed an improvement on the factory part. Hellwig's part description states "Hellwig sway bars feature larger than stock diameters and precision engineered components to optimize handling and reduce body roll."

I have not used this specific product, nor have I upgraded my factory sway bar on the '17 Expy BUT, it is definitely thicker than my stock part (photo attached) AND I can speak from experience in having upgraded several sway bars on multiple personal vehicles over the years where they all exhibited significant improved handling.

With that said, I do know there will be several variables to take into account which are going to be unique to your application: how much weight are you pulling? How much tongue/hitch weight? What percentage of the factory max towing capacity are you using? How many axles does your trailer have? What type of hitch setup are you using? Are you using sway control?

Answering these questions will help in your decision making process, but hopefully others will chime in who have experienced with the Hellwig upgrade.

I'm also curious to follow your research on this topic. I've been on the fence with this bolt-on for a couple months now.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

 

[Fasttimes]

Guess what I'm trying to find out is if the HD tow package included a beefed up rear sway bar? Or if anyone has upgraded their sway bar on a EB Expy if they experienced any obvious improvement?

 

[Psychobot90]

Guess what I'm trying to find out is if the HD tow package included a beefed up rear sway bar? Or if anyone has upgraded their sway bar on a EB Expy if they experienced any obvious improvement?

I have the HD tow package and my sway bar is the same part number as the same year vehicle without the HD package. I couldn't find a separate part on the Ford site to indicate there was an alternative.

 

[07navi]

The tow packages are just for the trailer wiring, brake actuator, and cooling. Sway bars are not part of it. I was always fine with the stock sway bars but I don't do the Pikes Peak race or anything close to it.

 

[JExpedition07]

On my 2007 5.4 Triton the HD tow package included A.) Heavy Duty Radiator B.) 7-Row Auxiliary Trans Cooler C.) Seven pin connector with trailer brake controller hookup D.) 3.73 9.75” Axle. No mention of any sway bar.

 

[07navi]

I forgot the 4wd with the package gets the 3.7 rear end. ...........like mine

 

[UTEngineer]

Replaced front and rear sway sway bars in my wife’s 2017 EL Limited with Hellwig’s sway bars. Made a huge difference in cornering stability. No doubt it will also improve towing stability as well. Also replaced the stock 4-ply junk tires with some 8-ply BFGoodrich all-terrain tires as well. Travel trailer comes out later this month and will be able to test the trailering improvement.

 

[07navi]

They a

Replaced front and rear sway sway bars in my wife’s 2017 EL Limited with Hellwig’s sway bars. Made a huge difference in cornering stability. No doubt it will also improve towing stability as well. Also replaced the stock 4-ply junk tires with some 8-ply BFGoodrich all-terrain tires as well. Travel trailer comes out later this month and will be able to test the trailering improvement.

They are both actually 2 ply but the Goodrich will be stiffer.

 

[Fasttimes]

I ordered a rear Hellwig, but it's on back order. Wondering if I should be replacing the front as well?

 

[JasonH]

Replaced front and rear sway sway bars in my wife’s 2017 EL Limited with Hellwig’s sway bars. Made a huge difference in cornering stability. No doubt it will also improve towing stability as well. Also replaced the stock 4-ply junk tires with some 8-ply BFGoodrich all-terrain tires as well. Travel trailer comes out later this month and will be able to test the trailering improvement.

What was the impact to ride comfort on rough pavement?

 

[Langer]

I ordered a rear Hellwig, but it's on back order. Wondering if I should be replacing the front as well?

The rear sway bar doesn’t look too different, but a few you tube reports and my personal anecdotal “feel” sees an improvement. The front is a monster compared to what was stock.

 

[Kevin08]

Did I read somewhere on here that rear air suspension models came with a weaker rear anti sway bar? If this is true and one has swapped out air for coils, then I probably would upgrade the anti sway bar before towing. Idk

 

[07navi]

What was the impact to ride comfort on rough pavement?

Zero ride difference, even if you didn't have one. Plus trailers rock not the truck unless you have torsion bar load levelers. Everybody wants to change everything but no need to here unless you hang corners on mountain roads every day.

 

[UTEngineer]

What was the impact to ride comfort on rough pavement?

It does ride a little rougher when hitting bumps at an angle. Straight-on bumps there is no difference. But it was definitely worth the trade off.

 

[UTEngineer]

Zero ride difference, even if you didn't have one. Plus trailers rock not the truck unless you have torsion bar load levelers. Everybody wants to change everything but no need to here unless you hang corners on mountain roads every day.

The right sway bar on your tow vehicle will improve the drivability and traction, help with better cornering and less body roll. When you have your pride and joy travel trailer in tow behind you, better performance from your tow vehicle can be the difference in making it to the campsite or not.

 

[UTEngineer]

I ordered a rear Hellwig, but it's on back order. Wondering if I should be replacing the front as well?

I replaced both.

The upgraded front sway bar made the most difference in daily driving, and it significantly reduced body roll in corners and thru bumps.

The upgraded rear sway bar made the biggest difference towing going into corners, especially downhill corners on tight mountain passes. And it also helps with rear end sway caused by trailer sway, especially in high crosswind situations.

 

[07navi]

Waste of time and money, my last truck didn't even have a rear one.

 

[JasonH]

I don't have any issues with body roll whole towing. But the handling could improve while unladen, especially rebound and body roll. Might have to look into this upgrade. We frequently drive at 70+ here in Texas and handling at those speeds leaves much to be desired.

 

[Machete]

I replaced both.

The upgraded front sway bar made the most difference in daily driving, and it significantly reduced body roll in corners and thru bumps.

The upgraded rear sway bar made the biggest difference towing going into corners, especially downhill corners on tight mountain passes. And it also helps with rear end sway caused by trailer sway, especially in high crosswind situations.

I looked on Hellwig site found rear but no front for 1st gen.